Portable electronic devices, such as those configured to be handheld or otherwise associated with a user, are employed in a wide variety of applications and environments. The ubiquity of devices such as mobile phones, smart phones, and other similar devices indicates the popularity and desire for these types of devices. Increasingly, such devices are equipped with one or more sensors or other systems for determining the position or motion of the portable device, including inertial navigation techniques based upon the integration of specific accelerations and angular rates as measured by inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.)
Such sensors, when utilized within a portable electronic device, rely on the power source of the portable electronic device for operation. The power consumption requirements can vary depending on the type of sensors and/or the use conditions of the sensors can require. Power consumption is an important concern to both users and designers of portable electronic devices, as battery life is essential to the use of such devices. In general, there is a trade-off between reducing power consumption and noise performance of the sensor. For example, reductions in power consumption typically result in increased sensor noise.